Cigarette holder and igniter



March 19, 1935. s s cs 1,994,712

CIGARETTE HOLDER AND IGNITER Filed Nov. 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 19, 1935. s. ISAACS I CIGARETTE HOLDER AND IGNITER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 14, less Patented Mar. 19, 1935 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIGARETTE HOLDER AND IGNITER Silas Isaacs, Florence, N. Y., assignor to Harold Walsworth Bell, Camden, N. Y.

Application November 14, 1933, Serial No. 698,012

10 Claims. (01. 2l932) My invention relates to cigarette holders and ward corresponding to the curve of the lower lighters and has for its object to provide a simple portion of the back plate. and inexpensive device adapted to be carried on To the back of the upper portion of the back a the instrument board of an automobile within plate is secured a clamp 10 of any usual construc- 15' easy reach of the driver, adapted to carry a subtion, here shown as having a clamping screw 11 5 stantial number of cigarettes and operable by the adapted to bear against the back of the supportdriver to feed a single cigarette into position to ing board 4. be lighted and to light it ready for the driver to Fitting between the end plates 8 and 9 is the grasp with his right hand and insert its end in movable member 2 of the hopper. This is a 10 his mouth. rectangular box without top or bottom compris- 10 With the general purpose and object above ining front plate 12, back plate 13, and side plates dicated my invention consists in the means here- 14 and 15. These side plates 14 and 15 are inafter described and shown for holding and curved at their lower ends to correspond with feeding the cigarettes; for igniting them; for supthe curve of the lower ends of the lower portion 15 plying oxygen; for closing circuit to the igniting 5 of the back plate of the fixed member 1 of the 15 means; for utilizing the cigarette to hold the hopper. circuit closed and for also holding open the valve Extending across front plate 12 about midway controlling the air suction and for utilizing the between its upper and lower edges is a pivot rod shortening of the cigarette as it is consumed for 16 having bearings in end plates 8 and 9 with the 2 determining the breaking of the circuit, and end of this rod which has its bearings in plate 8 20 closing of the valve. extending through it a substantial distance and With the above objects and other objects herehaving secured to it one end of an upwardly exinafter described in view my invention consists tending spring 1'7, the upper portion of which in the combination and construction of elements bears against a pin 18, the arrangement being hereinafter described and claimed. such that the spring tends to hold the inner 25 Referring to the drawings: member 2 with its top tilted forward and its Figure 1 is a front view of a cigarette holder lower end tilted rearward and so that its open and lighter embodying my invention. lower end is in line with and closed by the curved Figure 2 is a side view of the right hand side of lower portion 5 of the back plate of the stationary 0 the device shown in Figure 1. member.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the same. Above the pivot rod 16 front plate 12 is pref- Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 erably provided with push rod 19 with button 20 of Figure 1, looking to the right. for convenience in causing the movable member Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5 5 2 to swing on its pivot rod 16 so as to carry the of Figure 1 looking to the left. lower end of plate 12 to a position sufiiciently 35 Figure 6 is a side view of the left hand side of forward of the lower forward edge of lower porthe device shown in Figure 1, and tion 5 of the back plate to permit a cigarette to Figure 'l is an enlarged cross sectional view on drop through onto trough-shaped holders 5 and 6. line 7-7 of Figure 1. Secured to the end plate 9 is a downwardly 40 In the drawings, 1 indicates the outer fixed and forwardly extending strip 21 of insulating 40 member of a hopper adapted to receive cigarettes material carrying in line with the axis of the and comprises a back plate having its upper porholders 6 and 'l a heating coil 22 with terminals tion 3 fiat and adapted to fit against a vertical 23 and 24. When a cigarette has been dropped plate or board 4, such for instance as the instrudown onto holders 6, '7, one end will rest against 5' ment board of an automobile and having its lower heating coil 22 and, the circuit being closed portion 5 curved downward and forward and carthrough the coil and the coil becoming hot, the rying at its lower edge strips 6 and '7 curved end of the cigarette will be heated and, if oxygen downward and then upward into trough like form is supplied, will be ignited. so as to readily receive and support a cigarette Carried on the outer face of side plate 8 and and spaced apart a distance sufiicient to permit extending downward and forward is a flat spring 50 the hand of the smoker to grasp the cigarette to 25 carrying on its inner face the forwardly exremove it. The hopper l is open at top and front, tending end of suction pipe 26 having opening 27 8 and 9, indicate the end plates of the hopper, so arranged as to be in line with the axis of the shaped as shown, and extending forward having holders 6, 7, and so in line with the cigarette their lower portions curved downward and forcarried by these holders. The rear end of this 55 tube 28 is connected by any suitable tubing with any convenient air suction device. At a suitable point in tube 28 is a valve 29 carried by a rod 30, the free end of which is connected by link 31 to an eye plate 32 secured to the under side of the lower portion 5 of the back plate of the stationary member of the hopper.

Spring 25 tends to normally press pipe end 26 against the end of the cigarette (C in Figure 7) and to also tend to hold tube 28 in such position that valve 29 will close the opening through the tube, but if this tendency of the spring to cause the closing of the valve is checked so as to hold it partly open, the suction through tube 28 will draw air through opening 27 and as pipe end .26 is in contact with the end of the cigarette, the air will be drawn into its other end so as to supply oxygen to the hot coil and so promote combustion sufliciently to ignite the cigarette.

In order to permit the cigarette to drop into position on the holders 6, 7, it is necessary to have the igniting coil and the pipe end 26, at the time the cigarette is dropped, separated a sufiicient distance and then, in order that its ends may be in operative contact with the coil and the pipe end, it is necessary to have them brought towards each other. The strip 21 which carries the igniting .coil 22 is not intended to move towards or away from the end of the cigarette. Pipe end 26 being carried by spring 25 is, however, movable toward and from the cigarette end and is moved away from the cigarette end by a cam carried on the outer face of end plate 14 of the inner hopper member 2, this cam being so formed that as the lower portion of this inner member 2 swings forward the cam will ride under spring 25 and cause its lower end to swing away from normal position sothat pipe end 26 will be moved in a direction away from the igniting coil so that sufiicient space will be left to permit of the cigarette dropping into place. On the return of the inner member 2 to normal position the cam 35 passes away from under spring 25 permitting pipe end 25 to press against the cigarette end and by its pressure to cause the cigarette to move suiticiently to bring its other end firmly against igniting coil22. The movement of spring 25 caused by the action of cam 35 will cause valve 29 to open tube 28 so that air will be sucked in through opening 27. Release of spring 25 will cause valve 29 to move toward closing position.

Cigarettes as sold are, at least as regards the commonly sold brands, of uniform length and the length of the cigarette dropped into holders 1 6, 7, with its ends in contact respectively with the igniting coil 22 and the pipe end 26, is utilized to hold spring 25 from complete return to normal position and to also hold valve 29 from completely closing. Consequently, so long as spring 25 is so held air will continue to be sucked into opening 27 in pipe end 26 through the cigarette and, coil 22 being heated, oxygen is drawn in, very much as it is drawn through the cigarette in the operation of smoking, thus igniting the cigarette end.

In order to cause coil 22 to heat it is necessary to supply current. This may be supplied from any convenient storage or other battery, or other source of current. This circuit shown is through wire to terminal 22, through coil 22, terminal 23, wire L1 to switch terminal 42 carried by plate 43 of insulated material secured to end plate 8 of outer member 1 of the hopper. This plate 43 carries on its outer face a spring contact 44 which extends rearward outside of and normally out of contact with spring 25. Spring 25 carried by outer member 1 of the hopper is grounded in any usual way.

When, by pressure on button 20 the inner member 2 is caused to swing on its pivot rod 16 its lower end will swing forward to permit a cigarette to drop and by the action of cam 35 will force the lower end of spring 25 away from its normal position so that the cigarette may drop easily into holders 6, 7, and at the same time will cause spring 25 to contact with spring contact 44 closing circuit to the igniting coil, and at the same time will cause valve 29 to open tube 28 so that air will be drawn through the cigarette and its ignition ensured. On release of pressure on button 20 the innermember 2 will be returned to normal position by spring 17 but while by this movement causing cam 35 to be withdrawn from beneath spring 25, the lower end of the spring will be, by the cigarette, held sufiiciently away from complete return to normal position that the spring will still be in contact with spring contact 44 so as to maintain current through the igniting coil. So long as the end of the spring is thus held valve 29 will be partly open and suction will be maintained through the cigarette.

The cigarette thus lighted begins to burn away and as it does so its length is so much reduced that it will no longer hold spring 25 from return to normal position and as it does so return circuit is broken between spring 25 and spring contact 44 and valve 29 moves to completely closed position...

To aid in returning spring '25 to normal position I may use in addition to spring 1'7 a coil spring 45 having one end secured to an eye plate 46 on side plate 9 and its other end secured to eye plate 47 on side plate 8 on the portion of "it forward of the portion cut away for cam 35.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and having forwardly extending sides, of which one carries an igniting coil and the other carries an element adapted to yield laterally, a source of current-in circuit with the igniting coil, suction apparatus comprising'a pipe carried by the yielding element of the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil,'an inner hopper member open at its lower end pivotally mounted within the outer member, a circuit closing switch in the circuit of the igniting coil having normally separated terminals one of which is carried by the yielding side of the outer member and means carried by the inner member for causing the yieldingelement on the side-of the outer member to move outward to force said switch terminals into contact.

2, In acigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and having forwardly extending sides, of which one carries an igniting coil and the other carries a laterally yielding member, a spring tending to draw the yielding member inward a source of current in circuit with the igniting coil, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the yield-' ing member of the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, an inner hopper member open at its upper and lower ends pivotally mounted within the outer member, a

circuit closing switch in the circuit of the igniting coil having normally separated terminals, a valve controlling the pipe of the suctionapparatus and means carried by theiinner hopper member for closing the switch and simultaneously opening the valve of the suction pipe. V

3. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and having forwardlyextending sides, of which one carries an igniting coil and theother carries an element adapted to yield'laterally, a source of current in circuit with the igniting coil, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the laterally yielding element having'an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, an inner hopper member open at its upper and lower ends pivotally mounted within the outer member, a circuit closing switch in the circuit of the igniting coil having normally separated terminals one of which is carried by the yielding element carried by the side of the outer member, a valve controlling the pipe of the suction apparatus operably connected with said yielding side of the outer member, and means carried by the inner member for so moving the yielding element on the side of the outer member as to force the switch terminals together and to open the valve of the air suction means, and means tending to return the yielding member to initial position.

4. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and having forwardly extending sides, of which one carries an igniting coil and the other carries a downwardly extending spring, a source of current in circuit with the igniting coil, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the downwardly extending spring of the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, an inner hopper member open at its upper and lower ends pivotally mounted within the outer member, a circuit closing switch in the circuit of the igniting member having normally separated terminals one of which is carried by the downwardly extending spring on. the side of the outer member, a valve controlling the pipe of the suction apparatus having its movable element operatively connected with said downwardly extending spring on the side of the outer member, and means carried by the inner member for so moving said downwardly extending spring as to open said valve.

5. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and sides extending forward from its back, an igniting coil carried by one side, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, an inner hopper member open at its lower end and so pivotally mounted within the outer member that forward movement ofits lower end will cause a cigarette to drop over the edge of the bottom of the outer member, a normally open current supply circuit for the igniting coil, a valve normally closing the suction pipe and means carried by the inner hopper member for closing the current supply circuit and simultaneously opening the valve of the suction pipe.

6. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and sides extending forward from its back, an igniting coil carried by one side, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, an inner hopper member open at its lower end and so pivotally mounted within the outer member that forward movement of its lower end will cause a cigarette to drop over the edge of the bottom of the outer member, a normally open current supply circuit for the igniting coil, a valve normally closing the suction pipe and means carried by the inner hopper member for closing the current supply circuit and simultaneously opening the valve of the suction pipe, and a spring for returning the inner hopper member to initial position.

.7. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and sides extending forward from its back, an outwardly yielding element carried by one of the sides, an igniting coil carried by said yielding element, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, an inner member open at its lower end and so pivotally mounted within the outer member that forward movement of its lower end will cause a cigarette to drop over the edge of the bottom of the outer member, a normally open current supply circuit for the igniting coil, a valve normally closing the suction pipe and means carried by the inner hopper member for forcing the outwardly yielding element on the side of the outer hopper member outward to increase the distance between the igniting coil and the pipe of the suction apparatus and simultaneously closing the current supply circuit and opening the valve of the suction pipe.

8. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and sides extending forward from its back, an igniting coil carried by one side, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, an inner hopper member open at its lower end and so pivotally mounted within the outer member that forward movement of its lower end will cause a cigarette to drop over the edge of the bottom of the outer member, means for supporting the cigarette so dropped in line with the igniting coil and the opening of the suction pipe, a normally open current supply circuit for the igniting coil, a valve normally closing the suction pipe and means carried by the inner hopper member for closing the current supply circuit and simultaneously opening the valve of the suction pipe.

9. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back and lower end and sides extending forward from its back, an igniting coil carried by one side, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, one of said elements being so carried as to be outwardly movable and being so arranged that the distance between the igniting coil and the suction pipe is normally slightly less than the length of a cigarette, an inner hopper member open at its lower end and so pivotally mounted within the outer member that forward movement of its lower end will cause a cigarette to drop over the edge of the bottom of the outer member, means carried by the outer hopper member to receive the cigarette so dropped and sustain it in line with the igniting coil and with the opening in the suction pipe, a normally open current supply circuit for the igniting coil, a valve normally closing the suction pipe and means carried by the inner hopper member for causing the outwardly movable element carried by the side of the outer hopper member to move outward to increase the distance between the igniting coil and the suction pipe so as to permit the dropped cigarette to assume position in line therein and for simultaneous'ly closing. the circuit of the igniting coil and opening the valve of the suction pipe.

10. In a cigarette holder and lighter, an outer hopper member having a back'and lower end and sides extending forward from its back, an igniting coil carried by one side, suction apparatus comprising a pipe carried by the other side having an inlet opening in line with the igniting coil, one of said elements being so carried as to be outwardly movable and being so arranged that the distance between the igniting coil and the suction pipe is normally slightly less than the length of a cigarette, an inner hopper member open at its lower end and so pivotally mounted Within the outer member that forward movement of its lower end will cause a cigarette to drop over the edge of the bottom of the outer member, means carried by the outer hopper member to receive the cig"-' 'arette so dropped and sustain it in line with the igniting coil and with the opening in the suction pipe, a normally open current supply circuit for the igniting coil, a valve normally closing the suction pipe and means carried by the inner hopper member for causing the outwardly movable element carried by the side of the outer hopper mem- 

